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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mug — to rob
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. perch — the fish
  17. mug — a face
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. stem — to come from
  20. mug — a cup
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com